Crawling Back

Hi, guys.

Been while, hasn’t it? Like a lot of people, we went through some changes and weird things during the global shitshow. Richard and I are slowly getting back into making comics again. Actually, Richard managed to get the first issue/half of his swamp-noir punch, THE OLD CHURCH back in 2022. We got a few physical copies of it into people’s hand at that year’s Heroes Con, and had the intent of going to this year’s show but too many things conspired against us. It’s going to be uploaded to the Print and Digital pages of this site soon for anyone to buy soon.

Regardless, we’re pushing forward. I’ve recently begun renting a small space to break the gravity of the bad and lazy habits I developed during the plague. I’ve been here for about a month and I’m getting about spending more time here after work. It’s been tough getting back into the rhythm of working on stuff. I’m in the middle of putting together the first - or zero? - draft for the new first issue of OEW. We’ll keep the name of it short and sweet for the time being. Not that anyone’s going to see and/or read this, but paranoid is as paranoid does.

In fact, I plan to blab here a little bit - mostly to myself - to hopefully dislodge some of this ennui and frustration with the script.

I used to really enjoy the writing process and subsequent rewrites as pages came together, but OEW started off a little differently from other things I’ve put together. Richard dared me to come up with it on the fly as we were looking to serialize our individual stories in IN MEDIA REX, but that wasn’t working out well for me.

I’ve got to have a lot of the story worked out. The safety net at the bottom of the tightrope needs to be taut. I have confidence in what I’m putting down. And, while, the entirety of the story has been plotted out, that anchor is still missing. Man, those are some mixed metaphors, huh?

Anyway, I’m stretching through this draft. Really trying to find the groove in it. There are still elements of it that don’t feel as crucial to the plot as I’d like them to be. Maybe I’m not at the point of killing my darlings, but that seems like that might be getting close. Currently, I’m just dropping the panel descriptions in with very brief notes on the dialogue. That’s going to be a struggle too, but a lot of that can get refined as I get into drawing pages.

These entries are going to be more of an excuse to get the juices flowing and talk about things that ordinarily bore the shit out of most people.

Comicpalooza 2017 Recap

Well, this past weekend’s Comicpalooza was a very solid success for us. Our new shirts, stickers, and bottle caps were well received, and we were able to bolster our brand awareness with some palatable gusto. Really, it was a genuine pleasure meeting everyone.

A deafening round of applause and unending thanks need to be extended to JJ Shaw, Terry Wagner, Jason Graff, Brandon Yannerella, Grant Eneix, and our very own John McElroy for their help with the construction of our booth. I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. A few tweaks to push going forward, but it worked exceptionally well as the initial prototype in the pursuit to improve our convention presence.

The original plan for the show was to debut Issue Three of IN MEDIA REX, but one technical delay after another kept getting in the way. Rest assured that we’re weeks away from getting it printed. Stay tuned to this spot and our other social media outlets for news about that. In fact, we’re going to continue some process and promotional posts leading up to its release.

Speaking of shirts, they should be going up in the Store later this week for those that missed purchasing them at the show. You’ll have to jump on them quickly because we have a very limited run of this design. We’re waiting to see if we’re going to go back to print for more based on your reactions.

I want to stress again that signing up for the Newsletter is going to pay off for all of you Pulp 21 fans. We have some special offers that we’re going to extend, as well as some exclusive previews for forthcoming projects outside of what we share on this blog and elsewhere. Expect a new one to go out later this week. So, sign up!

We have a lot of other exciting items of news to share soon. It’s a pain in the ass not to be able to talk about them now. Trust me, they’ll be worth the wait.

Thanks again, everyone,

Chet

Creator Profile: Pizo Meyer

Who are you and what do you do with Pulp 21?

Pizo Meyer. My first release with Pulp 21 was a great repackaging of my comic called "Seed". I have 5 pages of an introduction story in IMR 3 called Domine (Lord) which we hope to launch later as its own graphic novel. I'm also drawing a book for James Robert's story called "While you were out."

What’s your comic about?

Seed is a sci-fi alien world with several strange creatures. Some folks described it as Dr. Suess on acid! Domine takes place in a future desert world and it's about a random lifeform being born which could be the next king although not everyone believes that.

What do you do when you’re not making comics?

Visual art, electronic music production/DJ, spending time with my kids, friends, and family. Oh yeah, I like beer.

Creator Profile: Richard Basey

Who are you and what do you do with Pulp 21?

I'm Richard Basey and I write and draw stuff. I like to take more credit than I've earned for helping shape our mission statement.

What’s your comic about?

Bury Me with My Weapon is a fantasy story blending superhero and video game tropes into a story that's heavy on symbolism, whether conscious or not. It's about three men finding themselves as their worlds fall apart. There are also dick jokes.

What do you do when you’re not making comics?

Mostly making myself go blind by sitting too close to the TV, and aging 3% faster than the normal human. Everybody needs hobbies.

Creator Profile: Rene Cruz

Who are you and what do you do with Pulp 21?

I’m Rene Cruz, a 38-year-old child that never really stopped drawing. In fact, my habit is getting worse the older I get. Being a huge fan of storytelling in general, I’ve recently been applying my years of graphic design and illustration chops in the service of making comics. I've already spent too long standing still hoping answers would just come to me, I've got a lot of catching up to do. These mistakes aren't going to be made themselves.  

What’s your comic about?

The whole thing (AstroBog) is very much a "mix tape" of imagery and themes that I've collected mentally.

I really wanted to create something basic, stripped down to the golden age. Something you just jump into and get caught up the more you read. Aesthetically, I wanted it to look like it was printed in another country almost, growing up in a border town I was exposed to 3-4 color packaging at a young age and that simplicity has always stuck with me. Lastly, I've always wanted to draw Houston. The bayou, NASA, architecture, that roller skating guy on Allen Parkway. Anything and everything I see on a daily basis is going to eventually be a part of this at the end of the day.

What do you do when you’re not making comics?

I draw a lot. Throw rocks when I can. Cook and hang out with my fiancée and dog in our backyard. Chances are, I’m drawing when you read this.

Rene can be found on the web at: 

http://www.renecruz.org/

https://www.instagram.com/renclopes/

Comicpalooza 2016

Well… Here we are. Another Palooza down. Another issue in.

I want to thank everyone who came out, stopped by the booth, and attended the panel. We appreciate your support in any way you choose to give it. We’re doing what we love, and it’s always a pleasure seeing so many faces, both old and new.

The panel. Making comics the Pulp 21 way. So much fun. We had quite a bit more people than expected show up. We told our story, gave the bare bones of who we are, what we do, and then opened up for questions. You guys didn’t disappoint. We talked about a range of things, but I feel the message was clear in the end. We love comics. We want to make comics. Making comics is hard. We want you to make comics too.

I feel lame saying this, but the panel was very much a reaffirmation of why we’re doing what we’re doing. We had some great questions tossed our way, and I think with every response we reinvested ourselves. That’s a helluva thing. So I can’t thank everyone enough who attended the panel.

Things are starting to come together for us here at Pulp 21. We have a handful of good looking books. We have a plethora of projects in the works. Issue #3 of In Media Rex is next on the agenda. We’re already well on our way to finishing it, but with Amazing-con in September, we definitely have a deadline.

Ugh. Deadlines. The bane of our ambitions.
 

I’ll say it again.

“Just finish.”

Cheers,

James

 

L to R: James Roberts, Chet Presley, Aleisha Bayron, and John McElroy of Pulp 21

Actor Robert Duncan McNeill, of Star Trek: Voyager, stopped by our table late Sunday afternoon, bought a few comics off of us, and became the proud owner of Aleisha Bayron's "Baby Trump" sketch card for his contribution to the cause.

Face First into 2016

Hey, guys, lots to lay on you, so I’m going to try and keep this as brief as possible.

First off, we’ve finally got things squared away - for the most part, heh - for delivering issues of IN MEDIA REX more regularly, in lieu of getting over some unforeseen hurdles this past year. Issue Two should be debuting in the middle of March. Stay tuned to this spot for details about how to get your copies.

Issue One of IN MEDIA REX has been a great starting point for us, and we want to thank all of you for helping make that happen. That said, we’re down to a very limited amount of copies left for sale via the Store on the website, which are still only available for shipping within the continental United States until we can figure out a cheap(ish) means to ship overseas. Unless, of course, we exhaust our current stock, because - that’s right - we’re not printing any more of Issue One.

However, if you should still want a print version of Issue One, and are local to Houston, TX, Bedrock City still has a few copies. Keep in mind they can get copies to any of their many stores. Just ask. They’re an incredibly helpful and professional bunch.

Also, I just dropped off another handful for retail at the excellent Flying Squid Tattoo & Art Gallery at:

1507 N. Durham Dr.  Houston, TX 77008

Stop in, say hello, buy a comic, and get some ink done. It’s staffed by some of the best and staggeringly talented human beings we’re proud to call friends at Pulp 21.

Despite the diminishing physical stock of Issue One, the digital versions of the comics are still in the works too. There should be an announcement about those around the time that Issue Two drops, if not sooner.

As alluded to above, 2016 is shaping up to be a very busy year for Pulp 21. We’re concentrating on supplying you with more comics more often, and getting into more retail venues. We’ll be announcing our first show very soon too, and that’s quickly shaping up to be a unique con experience.

So much more to talk about.

Thanks for your time - Chet

How Bad Acid Came to be...

Buenos dias, my little droogies! We've been busy toiling away on Issue Two of IN MEDIA REX. We'll have some news about it's debut and the next event that we're going to participate in within the coming weeks. By the end of this week, however, we should be releasing a little free surprise for everyone to enjoy. This gift, from us to you, is also going to help us test a few things, especially for the digital aficionados.

The first installment of our Mailing List - which we'll have a link for on the site before it's published - is getting prepped. While some the information in this blog is going to be repeated in the Mailing List, we're working to customize that experience to be a little more substantial. Or, at the very least, much more novel than what you can come to expect from this place. We'll see. It's going to be a fun experiment.

Also, don't forget that there are plenty of copies of IN MEDIA REX still available in our Store.

Anyway, I'm going to hand the mic off to James Roberts and let him fill you in a little on how his and Aleisha Bayron's BAD ACID originated. 

- Chet

----

After graduating from U of H a few years back, I was completely lost. (Much like Alan, the main character of Bad Acid.) I was still writing, of course -- after all, I DID graduate with a creative writing degree, but I wasn’t writing short stories, or poetry, or a novel. No. I was brainstorming endless nights and funneling all thought into a journal titled “God and the Devil at a Dive Bar in Hell.”
This, of course, became Bad Acid. (And don’t worry, the old title has its significance.) The idea of a simpleton like me escaping the mundane and albeit terrible, monotony of everyday life was something I have and will always relate to. Alan, the struggling musician. Me, the struggling writer (although I too, like Alan, play guitar and write songs). We are both trying to find our way to fit in and leave our mark, while escaping/improving/enduring this life with whatever mind-bending experiences we stumble upon along the way.
Ergo: “The trip of all trips.”
I suppose the idea here is also simple, giving the responsibility of life as we know it, existence, whatever you wanna call it... give this power to someone genuine who merely wants to make art and get by without hurting anyone… while tripping balls.

The existential elements of Bad Acid are just that. I’m an atheist, if you couldn’t tell. But I have quite an optimistic view on life. I may not believe in anything, but if I’m ever proven wrong, so be it. There’s a bit of that in Bad Acid as well. Alan is content, and while he’s generally a happy person, he’s not rich or married with kids. He is scraping by doing what he loves. I also like to have fun with the idea of God retiring and him and the Devil being whiskey buddies, because that sounds about as ridiculous as anything else.
As far as “why” I’m not writing a novel or something else “worth my time or my degree,” I’ll say this…
I love comics. They are my first love. They always will be. And Bad Acid is fun. I’m still learning to adjust to the anthology style, but it has its perks and drawbacks. Trying to fit parts of this story into increments is both fun and challenging, which in itself is a good thing to keep pushing me along.
I have so much to tell: Alan will have moments of a shitty, 90’s, grunged-out superhero. He will party in Hell. He will turn the world on its head. He will also hit that wall... That point of no return... And I refer to the “Bad Acid” side of things when I say this... For those who’ve “braved the rabbit hole,” sometimes you hit that wall, when you want it to stop, but find yourself helplessly along for the ride.

In the end, the only way out is through.

Cheers,
James



 

Houston Zine Fest, Mail Orders, and More...

We thought we were done with shows for awhile, but we've been graced with a table by Issac of Lady Lazarus - ladylazaruspress.com - for:

Houston Zine Fest 2015

zinefesthouston.org

The Printing Museum

1324 W. Clay St.

Houston, TX 77019

October 17, 2015 from 2pm to 8pm

Come out and meet a handful of the crew, buy a comic, and shoot the shit. As always, cash, card, and PayPal are accepted.

In other news, issue two is in heavy production and we should have that ready for release at the end of November. We're working on tying the release with another local event. More details on that within the coming weeks.

As for orders from the site, those will be shipped out this weekend. We apologize for the delay, but there's a learning curve for supplying you guys with the best quality product and service for your hard earned dollars. Your patience is more than appreciated.

- Chet

It's aliiiiive...! IT'S ALIIIIIVE...!

Welcome, finally(!), to the launch of our own burgeoning idea-factory on the web.
 

It’s taken us awhile to get to this point over the course of the summer, since we debuted IN MEDIA REX Issue One at this past Comicpalooza, but that’s only because we’ve been kept busy with attending shows, doing signings, and a few other promotional activities for the comic.

We want to thank each and every one of you who has come out and shown us some degree of support. It means a lot to all involved. We’re looking forward to bringing you more funnybook bang for your buck.

Starting off, the site is going to facilitate mail orders of IN MEDIA REX within the continental U.S. Prints and a few other items will also begin to pop up in the store within the coming weeks. Digital options and international shipping will hopefully happen soon.

http://www.pulp21comics.com/store/

As an incentive for ordering IN MEDIA REX Issue One, we’re offering a sketch card - as illustrated by one of the crew - with your purchase of the comic. The sketch cards will be packaged at random, so requests for art from specific creators won’t be taken at this time. However, should you want to commission an original piece of art from anyone in the group, please feel free to email us at pulp21@gmail.com and we’ll hook you up with the right people.

As for the rest of the site, feel free to browse around and check things out. A little info regarding stories featured in IN MEDIA REX and the creators is all readily available. Over the next few weeks we’ll be adding art and sneak peeks at forthcoming comics, as well as a few other surprises.

We’ve got a ton of other things to talk about.  

- Chet

09.22.15